1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PC card, which is connected to an electronic device such as a computer, through a connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A PC card (for example, a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card, a JEIDA (Japan Electronic Industry Development Association) card, and a compact flush card, and so on) connected to an electronic device such as a computer gives information indicative of the function of the PC card to the electronic device by outputting CIS (complex instruction set) information to the electronic device. When the PC card is connected to the electronic device, its operating supply voltage is supplied from the electronic device, and the supply voltage is either 5V or 3.3V.
Therefore, key parts 92a, 92b are formed near the end of the connectors of a PC cards 91a, 91b, and, the key parts 92a, 92b are provided with two types of key parts 92a having a thinner thickness (denoted by 93a), and 92b having a thicker thickness (denoted by 93b), as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The key part 92a is formed in the PC card 91a operating at the supply voltage of 5V or 3.3V, and the key part 92b is formed in the PC card 91b operating at the supply voltage of 3.3V.
A receptacle corresponding to the key part 92 is formed at the connector provided inside a computer to which the PC card 91 is connected. The receptacle provides two types, i.e. one corresponding to the key part 92a, and the other corresponding to the key part 92b. The receptacle corresponding to the key part 92a is formed at a computer, which only supports the supply voltage of 5V. Therefore, an attempt to insert the PC card 91b operating at 3.3V into the computer, which only supports the supply voltage of 5V fails.
On the other hand, insertion of the PC card 91a operating at 5V, and the PC card 91b operating at 3.3V into the computer succeeds, which has a receptacle corresponding to the key part 92b. Then, the computer is burdened a load that it has to distinguish whether the inserted PC card 91 operates at 5V or 3.3V.
For accomplish this requirement, from a point of view of software, the PC card 91 is configured to give information indicative of a required supply voltage to the computer by sending CIS information to it, and, from a point of view of hardware, by making the VS1/VS2 pins in H level (open), or in L level (ground level).
However, the above configuration has the following problems. That is, the CIS information indicative of the function of the PC card has a previously set configuration. Therefore, frequent design changes of the PC cards have been required for each function.
Moreover, the PC card has a configuration only to output CIS information instructing the electronic device that which supply voltage of 5V or 3.3V should be supplied to the PC card. Therefore, designers have been under the necessity of designing the PC cards to be operable at either 5V or 3.3V. Accordingly, it has been difficult to design the PC cards, when there are functions which are desirable to operate at 5V and 3.3V. For example, where a design attempt is made so as to realize a multi-purpose PC card with an attachment part such as a telephone part added to the back of the PC card.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to offer a PC card changing information, instructing a function to an electronic device, to which the PC card is connected and the PC card may execute multi-functions.
Another object, other than the above object, is to offer a PC card supplied with suitable operating supply voltage according to functions by setting information chargeable, instructing operating supply voltage to be supplied.
Still another object, other than above objects, is to offer a PC card to reduce power consumption during operation without charging a secondary battery, even when it is chargeable.
Yet another object, other than the above objects, is to offer a PC card to perform operation corresponding to the lower supply voltage, in spite of supply of the high operating supply voltage is required, and the supplied supply voltage is lower than the required supply voltage.
In order to solve the above problems, a PC card according to the present invention comprises an information transmission means for giving information, which is corresponding to the selected function, to the electronic device, selectable one function from a plurality of functions, and connected to a connector of the electronic device, which performs operation corresponding to given information through the connector; and an execution means for executing operation corresponding to the selected function.
That is, operation of the electronic device is determined by information given by the information transmission means (operation corresponding to the selected function). While, the selected function is executed in the PC card by the execution means.
Moreover, a PC card according to the present invention comprises an information transmission means for giving information, which is corresponding to the selected function, to the electronic device, selectable one function from two functions namely a first and a second function, and connected to a connector of the electronic device, which performs operation corresponding to given information through the connector and supplies operating supply voltage to the connector when takes the higher supply voltage as a first supply voltage and the lower supply voltage as a second supply voltage; and an execution means for executing operation corresponding to the selected function. The above information transmission means gives information that makes the above supply voltage at the first supply voltage to the above electronic device when the PC card is in a state of the first function, and information that makes the above operating supply voltage at the second supply voltage to the above electronic device, when the PC card is in a state of the second function.
That is, the electronic device outputs the first supply voltage to the PC card when the PC card is in a state of the first function, and the second supply voltage to the PC card when the PC card is in a state of the second function.
Further, the above execution means, provided with a secondary battery other than the above configuration, charges the secondary battery when the PC card is in a state of the first function.
That is, when the secondary battery is not charged, the power consumption of the PC card is reduced, as the PC card is in a state of the second function.
Still further, the execution means comprises a voltage detection part when the PC card is in a state of the first function, the results of the voltage detection part shows that the above operating supply voltage is lower than the first supply voltage, the above execution means performs operation corresponding to a state of the second function.
That is, operation corresponding to the lower supply voltage of the operating supply voltage is executed when the supply voltage is lower than a predetermined value.